Nuclear Power Generation
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Provided by: Khan Academy|Published on: April 27, 2021
Videos
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Synopsis
- This video explains how nuclear power plants generate electricity using nuclear fission.
- Students will learn that nuclear power plants do not release greenhouse gases, but they do produce radioactive waste that is difficult to store.

Subjects: Chemistry, Physics, Engineering
Authors: Khan Academy
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video provides complex information in easy-to-understand terms.
- Diagrams, photographs, and drawings illustrate the concepts in the video.
- There is a full transcript with a highlight feature so students can easily follow along with the speaker.
Additional Prerequisites
- You can assign the video and quiz if you sign in and connect it to your online classroom.
- Students should already be familiar with the parts and structure of an atom, and the periodic table.
- There are standards for AP Environmental Science classes listed.
Differentiation
- Cross-curricular connections could be made with history classes by researching radioactive waste disposal in the oceans. Students could compare primary documents with more recent secondary documents to see how people's opinions change when they learn new things.
- Chemistry or physical science classes could use this video as a discussion starter on nuclear fission or isotopes. Students could work in groups to develop an equation that shows what happens when a neutron is fired at uranium-235. Students could present their equations to the class and explain how they work.
- Other resources on this topic include this video on processing uranium into nuclear fuel, this podcast episode on the feasibility of using nuclear power, and this Vox video on why nuclear power plants are shutting down.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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